Seven days. Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes sites in all three cities. Two trains. Around ¥1,200 in second class. Three cities that together cover 3,000 years of Chinese history. This is the right first trip. Not because it is the only option, but because it is efficient, varied, and leaves you wanting to come back. Here is the day-by-day plan. For a 10-day version adding Guilin: 10-Day China Itinerary.
The Itinerary
| Day | Location | What to Do |
| Day 1 | Arrive Beijing | Land, check in, walk the hutong neighborhood near your hotel. Eat Peking duck for dinner. |
| Day 2 | Beijing | Forbidden City (morning, book tickets in advance). Jingshan Park rooftop view. Wangfujing evening walk. |
| Day 3 | Beijing | Great Wall at Mutianyu (full day). Cable car up, toboggan down. Back by 5pm. |
| Day 4 | Train to Xi’an (4.5h) | Morning train, depart 9am. Arrive early afternoon. Muslim Quarter for lunch and dinner. |
| Day 5 | Xi’an | Terracotta Warriors (morning). City wall bike ride at sunset. Roujiamo for breakfast. |
| Day 6 | Train to Shanghai (7.5h) | Morning train. Arrive evening. Walk The Bund at night. |
| Day 7 | Shanghai | Former French Concession walk. Yu Garden. Xiaolongbao breakfast at Jia Jia Tang Bao. Depart. |
Day 1 to 3: Beijing
Four nights in Beijing is right. Three nights is too rushed. Five nights suits travelers who want the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and more hutong time. Full city guide: Beijing Travel Guide.
Forbidden City (Day 2 morning)
Book your timed-entry ticket in advance via WeChat mini-program. The Forbidden City caps visitors at 80,000 per day and sells out weeks ahead during peak season. Arrive at opening (8:30 AM). Walk the main central axis south to north. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours. Exit north into Jingshan Park and climb to the rooftop pavilion for the view back over the Forbidden City.
Great Wall at Mutianyu (Day 3)
This deserves a full day. Leave your hotel by 8am. Private car or DiDi to Mutianyu (90 minutes). Cable car to the top. Walk the restored wall for 2 hours. Toboggan or cable car down. Lunch at a local restaurant in the village below. Back in Beijing by 5pm. Do not attempt Badaling. Mutianyu is better in every way. Full guide: Which Great Wall Section to Visit.
Day 4 to 5: Xi’an
Two nights is the minimum for Xi’an. Three nights allows Hua Shan (a full-day mountain hike). Full city guide: Xian Travel Guide.
Train from Beijing
G87 departs Beijing West at 8:00 AM and arrives Xi’an North at 12:38 PM. Second class ¥464. Buy on Trip.com or 12306. From Xi’an North station: metro Line 4 to Bell Tower, 20 minutes. Detailed booking process: China High-Speed Rail Guide.
Terracotta Warriors (Day 5 morning)
The site is 35 km east of the city. Metro Line 1 east to Zhangling Lu, then shuttle bus (30 minutes). Or take a DiDi directly (40 minutes, ¥60). Arrive at opening (8:30 AM) to beat the tour groups. Full visit guide including what to look for in each pit: Visiting the Terracotta Warriors.
City wall bike ride (Day 5 afternoon)
Rent a bicycle at the South Gate of the city wall. The wall is 14 km around. A complete circuit takes 90 minutes to 2 hours at a relaxed pace. Best in late afternoon when the light is good and the temperature drops. The Muslim Quarter is a 5-minute walk from the South Gate for dinner afterwards.
Day 6 to 7: Shanghai
Three nights in Shanghai is comfortable for a first visit. Two nights is workable but rushed. Full city guide: Shanghai Travel Guide.
Train from Xi’an
G2000 departs Xi’an North at 8:00 AM and arrives Shanghai Hongqiao at 14:28. Second class ¥724. 7.5 hours is a long train journey. Bring food. The dining car is available but overpriced. First class (¥1,158) is worth considering for this route.
The Bund and surrounds (Day 7)
The Bund walk at any time of day is worthwhile, but particularly at night when the Pudong towers light up. Walk from the Peace Hotel north end to the Chen Yi statue. Cross to Pudong via the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel (tourist trap but interesting once) or take metro Line 2 to Lujiazui. The Former French Concession (take metro Line 10 to Xintiandi) is the best neighborhood for lunch and coffee.
Practical Notes
- Train booking: tickets open 15 days before travel. Book Beijing to Xi’an and Xi’an to Shanghai as soon as the window opens. Guide.
- Alipay: set up before departure. You need it for everything. Setup guide.
- Golden Week (Oct 1-7): all trains sell out in minutes. Book months ahead. Golden Week guide.
- Packing: one bag you can carry on the train. No checked luggage. Packing guide.
- Safety: all three cities are very safe. Standard tourist scam awareness applies. Is China Safe?.
Frequently Asked Questions
For 10 days adding Guilin: 10-Day China Itinerary. For the Beijing city deep-dive: 5-Day Beijing Itinerary. For 2 weeks in China: 14-Day China Itinerary.